Feeling on a roll today, and I really liked that prompt.
Jaune Arc sighed as he put away his textbook. Cramming was hard, especially since he had to over crazy amount of new information. Good thing he was a fast learner.
"Just a bit more, then I could take a break," He muttered
"Perhaps you should take a break now?" a familiar voice rang in his ear. "You look like your brain might start leaking out of your head."
"Gah!" Jaune turned around to look at the black-haired girl, sitting next to him. "When did you get here, Blake?"
"About half an hour ago," the girl deadpanned. "I thought you'd notice me, but you seemed so engrossed into your book."
"Sorry," Jaune winced apologetically. "Just overfocused on cramming. Happens sometimes."
"I won't judge," Blake stretched. "I know what it means to get lost in a book. Though for me it's usually fiction."
Jaune chuckled. While they weren't exactly the closest, he still considered Blake a friend.
"Never seen you cramming so hard before," she observed. "Any particular reason for that, beside the obvious."
Jaune sighed and looked around.
"Just keep it to yourself, alright. I don't want my team to worry too much," he half-whispered. "You know the deal with my transcripts, right?"
"Yes. Ruby told me," Blake shrugged. "You passed Initiation and came with a plan to kill the Deathstalker, though."
"Yeah, but that might not be enough for my parents," he sighed. "They may still to try to pull me out of Beacon. And I can't hide from them forever. I just figure, if I get good exam scores and manage to get Professor Goodwitch to vouch for me, it'd be enough to prove that I belong here."
"I see," Blake fell silent for a moment, lost in thought. Then she looked back up. "Wait. Seventeen is an age of majority in Vale, would they still try to pull you out. You're technically an adult."
"Won't stop my mom," he winced again. "I'm always her "precious baby". It's embarrassing, really."
"Oh, really?" the catgirl raised an eyebrow. "My mother is pretty embarrassing as well."
"Did your mom ever took you outside after your sisters stuffed you in a dress to make photos, because it "looked cute"?" he asked. "Because mine did."
"I'm an only child," Blake shook her head. "But one time my mom…"
~*~
"…and so," Jaune continued. "She just said "My son will be learning medicine, so you two can play doctor all you want". In front of everyone. I wanted to just jump down a manhole."
"Oof," Blake covered her mouth to stifle giggles. "Can imagine. Well, just you wait. My parents took me on rallies when I was still a kid. And normally I'd just be there in a shorts and T-shirt. But once we arrived a day early, and Mom decided to give me a makeover. It was just after dad was elected Chieftain."
"Uh-huh," Jaune nodded leaning to her.
"So I got a full "princess" makeover just before we were supposed to go to a rally," she scowled. "I was standing there with a "Say 'NO' to oppression" sign. In a frilliest dress you can imagine."
"You must've looked adorable," Jaune chuckled.
"It's no laughing matter," she hissed. "I had ringlets, Jaune. Ringlets."
"Sorry, sorry," he apologized. "It's just I got a bit of a "princess fetish", so to speak."
"I'll file this under "blackmail material"," she winked at him.
"You know," Jaune looked at her. "I don't think I ever seen you so relaxed."
"Guess, talking about embarrassing parents helps,." Blake's face darkened again. "They probably worry about me."
"Maybe you should call them then?" Jaune asked tentatively. "I would've called mine long ago, but I want to have the exam scores to back me up."
"I guess I should," she said slowly. "Just not sure what I'd say to them. And well, we parted after a big fight."
"Want me to go with you?" Jaune leaned to her. "I mean, I'd want support when I'm talking to my mom."
"You know," Blake smiled slightly at him. "I think it's a good idea. I'm getting cold feet just thinking about it and having a friend would be… nice."
~*~
It took Blake a whole day to muster up the courage. She eventually contacted Jaune, and he rushed to her immediately.
"He really wants to be a hero" – the catgirl thought as they were walking to CCT.
It took a few minutes for them to contact Menagerie, and even then they had to wait for her parents to arrive.
Once their faces appeared on the screen, expressions worried and relieved at the same time, she nearly bolted from the cabin again, if it wasn't for Jaune who put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed ever so lightly.
"My baby!" Kali cried. "You're alright"
"Hi, Mom, Dad," Blake croaked. "Yes, I'm alright. I'm in Vale now, a student at Beacon."
"Hmm." Ghira nodded looking at her. "It's good to see you're doing well, Blake."
"Yes…" she was at a loss for words again. Not knowing what to say, where to start.
"And you, young man?" her father continued curiously.
"Jaune Arc, sir," the boy at her side replied. "I'm here for… ah, emotional support?"
"I see," the feline man muttered.
"Mom, Dad…" Blake began again. And again, she faltered. She wanted to say she was sorry for saying so many things. But seeing her parents so relieved, she just couldn't bring herself to remind them of the circumstances of their separation. She needed to apologize, but her tongue became tied.
"C'mon, Blake," Jaune squeezed her shoulder again. "You can do it."
"I'm…" she tried again. "I'm..."
"Blake," her mother interjected, her expression worried. "Are you pregnant?"
"Yes!" she blurted out, her mouth letting out the word before her brain could catch up with it.
Jaune let out a half-choked sound behind her, but Blake only saw her mother's face which went from worried to surprised to positively shining.
"That's wonderful!' Kali squealed, eliciting a surprised gasp from her daughter who still tried to find words. "Did you hear that Ghira? We're going to be grandparents!"
Even Ghira was smiling in the background, though he then frowned slightly and interjected over Kali's gushing.
"I hope you plan to make an honest woman out of my daughter, Mr. Arc," he leveled his gaze on Jaune.
"I… well…" Jaune was at a loss of words too. "Well… we just wanted to…"
"…contact us first?" Kali answered for him with a wide smile on her face. "Right?"
Jaune wanted to say something. Probably correct the misunderstanding. But Blake just couldn't allow it. Not when her parents looked so happy. She couldn't remember them ever being this happy. The catgirl squeezed her friend's hand, preventing him from saying anything. He looked at her oddly, then at her parent on the screen and nodded rapidly.
"Yes. Exactly, "she lied. "We will need to talk about it. You can visit Beacon, right? We have a lot to talk about, and I think it's better if we did it in person."
~*~
" Well," Kali sighed. "At least she's alright and healthy. Not exactly how I would want to learn about having grandkittens, but I'm happy that they're doing fine."
"Seems a bit unexpected," Ghira grumbled. "Never heard of this guy before. It'd take a lot to support a child, especially if they're still students."
"Arc…" Kali muttered. "Arc. Isn't that the old Valean royality?"
"Maybe," Ghira looked at the terminal. "We're here anyway. Might check."
The check revealed one Jaune Arc declared missing in a town of Radian.
"So they eloped together," Kali almost "squeed" again. "That's romantic, don't you think?"
"A bit irresponsible for my tastes," her husband replied.
"Well, it's that, or a man who's as edgy as a moody eight-grader with more issues that cast on New Generation Gospel combined."
"We should contact his parents," Ghira said solemnly, ignoring his wife's obscure references. "They're probably just as worried as we were."
~*~
The two teenagers looked at now dark screen.
"Blake?" Jaune looked at her. "Why?"
"I'm sorry, I panicked!" she looked at him. "I never, ever seen them so happy. I just couldn't… I'm sorry."
"But, what are we going to do when they come here?" Jaune was starting to hyperventilate.
"I HAVE NO IDEA!" the catgirl screamed.
Trying to balance feels and comedy.
now there's a hilarious idea.
